The loneliness of the small government, Reagan Republican

For the last year, some of us have pointed out that Donald Trump isn’t a Reagan small government Republican. He is a Keynesian stimulus advocate and a big government supporter of centralized power. He calls for government stimulus, government health care services, federal police laws, federal control of trade and commerce and all manner of big government programs.

Those of us who pointed this out were told that it didn’t matter. Hillary Clinton was so bad that Trump had to be the choice. “At least”, we were told, “there was a chance for the future with Trump. With HRC there is no chance.” Better to play Russian Roulette with Trump than just commit suicide with Clinton, they said.

Now Trump is the president elect and will soon be the actual president. He is going to do what he said he was going to do. He is going to propose massive spending bills that will likely pass. He will offer up something like Cash for Clunkers somewhere. He said he would repeal and replace Obamacare with something that would be “tremendous” and it would be paid for by the government. He may repeal NAFTA by executive order.

Many Republicans will line up behind their new standard bearer and, frankly, so will many Democrats. Both Republicans and Democrats love big government spending in their districts.

A few Republicans, however, will resist. They will attempt to serve the classical liberal ethos and legitimately protect the principles of limited government conservatism. And they will be attacked.

In resisting Trump’s agenda they will invite the fury of his fans. His most ardent supporters adhere to no governing ethic other than a belief that the enemy must be crushed. To them, victory is all that matters and the great leader’s victory is their victory. It won’t matter that victory would mean the defeat of the limited government agenda of Ronald Reagan; they will demand unconditional surrender.

Limited government Republicans, therefore, will be all alone. Hardcore Trump supporters will call them cucks and establishment sellouts. The media and the left will only see Republicans and they will paint them with the same brush with which they paint Trump: Racist, fascist, sexist…

I suspect it is going to be a lonely time for limited government Republicans as they face vitriol from both the left and the right. I, for one, intend to stand with them.